Domestic violence and commercial break-in calls have jumped in Burnaby during the COVID-19 pandemic but reports of residential break-ins have dropped slightly, according to an RCMP update.
Crime analysts at the detachment have reviewed statistics from mid-March to mid-April, focusing on crimes such as break-ins at homes and businesses and calls related to domestic violence, according to a news release Tuesday.
“This timeframe was chosen as it falls into the period when public health orders came into effect, and, while it is too short of a timeline to accurately determine any trends, we have noted both increases and decreases in these files,” states the release.
All of the data is based on crimes reported, not investigative outcomes or charges, so police say the number are subject to change as investigations continue.
Commercial break-in calls have seen the most dramatic increase, nearly doubling since the same time period last year from 62 to 122, according to the release, but police say that jump isn’t necessarily due to the pandemic since such calls have been going up since last October.
In recent weeks, however, the release says Burnaby RCMP’s community response team, bike unit, frontline and prolific offender suppression team have conducted regular patrols of businesses to ensure they are secure and that anyone looking to take advantage of closed businesses is stopped.
Residential break-ins, meanwhile, have gone down slightly, from 33 between mid-March and mid-April last year to 26 during the same period this year.
Domestic violence calls, a category that includes not only intimate partner violence but also violence involving other family members, increased from 85 to 93, according to the release.
“We are aware that along with the current COVID-19 pandemic there are additional stresses at home and that those suffering violence may not be able to access community resources in person,” states the release.
It noted Burnaby RCMP’s victim services unit is still operational seven days a week, and staff are available to provide immediate assistance to anyone suffering from violence at home.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence can call 604-646-9700 for help.
Other resources for victims of domestic violence can be found here.
